The 2023 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO will take place from 19-21 September at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, California.
Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) members will gather under the same roof as International Flight Services Association (IFSA) members. The Future Travel Experience (FTE) show will also be held at the same time. Consequently, the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO will showcase every aspect of the end-to-end passenger experience. More than 3,000 leaders from the aviation industry will be present in Long Beach.
The following APEX members will be among the exhibitors at the 2023 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO:
AERQ
The newly launched AERENA Experience Studio by AERQ gives airlines freedom and flexibility to create their own unique digital onboard experience. It will be presented at the 2023 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in Long Beach, California.
The ground infrastructure for AERQ’s open IT platform AERENA has a one-login-only procedure which allows airlines to update their media content in less than a week and configure their user interface (UI) on a day-to-day basis.
AERENA Experience Studio facilitates the airlines’ app management by providing an end-to-end digital workflow covering app development, testing and deployment. It means that airlines can constantly adapt digital onboard offerings to their passenger’s needs.
AERQ will be at booth 1037 during the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in Long Beach.
AirFi America
AirFi is re-introducing Dance24, a catalogue of more than 100 hours of music video content recorded live by Clarity Control B.V. at the world’s biggest electronic music (EDM) festivals.
Clarity Control is a specialist dance music production and licensing company that has links and filming rights to major EDM music festivals such as ULTRA Miami, Mysteryland in the Netherlands and Germany’s Parookaville. The content available ranges from digestible 15-minute clips to one-hour sets, along with interviews and behind-the-scenes documentaries.
“Dance music has many sub-genres and appeals strongly to a wide range of audiences, from the young to the young at heart,” said Raymond Devilee, content licensing manager at Clarity Control. “With so many airline customers, exciting IFE technology and excellent relationships with CSPs, we know that AirFi is the perfect partner to bring Dance24 content to the inflight segment.”
AirFi will be at booth 1147 during the 2023 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO.
Anuvu
Following several new content partnerships this year, Anuvu continues to strengthen its approach to highly-curated inflight entertainment through its robust programme library and industry-leading data analytics tools.
During 2023 Anuvu has announced multiple industry-first content partnerships, including with Formula 1, Mindvalley and WaterBear. Also with A24, the company is synonymous with critically acclaimed titles including Oscar-winners Everything, Everywhere All at Once, Moonlight and The Whale.
“Our partnerships allow us to make informed decisions versus a subjective opinion of one or two people,” said Estibaliz Asiain, Anuvu SVP, Media and Content. “The right data allows us to stay ahead of industry trends, measure content demand, evaluate performance and curate programming that aligns with passenger interests. It’s a constant cycle of refining and defining what content is trending and how it performs so that each client gets the greatest return on investment.”
Contact entertain@anuvu.com to book a meeting during the expo.
Anuvu will be at booth 1127.
Bluebox Aviation Systems
Bluebox will be showcasing its award-winning Blueview digital passenger experience platform – focusing on how onboard retail and IFE modules provide distinct and complementary value by engaging passengers and increasing airline revenues. Earn, Entertain and Engage are ‘the three Es’ encapsulating the value Blueview offers.
Blueview’s digital services can be tailored to support the commercial objectives of any airline – as a new, stand-alone, multi-service platform or even as an order-to-seat retail service deployed in parallel to an existing embedded IFE system.
Hardware deployment can also be tailored to suit a fleet’s profile with Blueview providing a consistent passenger experience, whether as part of the award-winning Bluebox Wow portable wireless streaming system, a linefit solution on Airbus aircraft or both.
There are live deployments of Blueview on low-cost, regional and mainline carriers around the world.
Bluebox will be at booth 929.
CNN Inflight
Visit the CNN Inflight team at booth #1600 to hear the latest offerings available from CNN, TBS, TNT, TruTV, Adult Swim and the much-loved Cartoon Network, which is available in 26 languages.
CNN Inflight can provide passengers with a range of shows from current affairs to drama, comedy, actuality and reality. What’s more, you can now get live TV from CNN on over 20 different airlines.
CNN Inflight will be at booth 1600 during the 2023 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO.
Encore Inflight Limited
Encore Inflight specialises in providing quality inflight entertainment to airlines worldwide in more than 35 languages. The team has decades of experience in the inflight and content industries and attends film and television markets around the world to source the best selection of international blockbusters, Hollywood indies, hidden gems and award-winning titles from over 300 studios and production houses.
“For airlines and content service providers, Encore can cover your needs with high-quality must-have titles, personalised services and competitive pricing,” commented a spokesperson from Encore Inflight Entertainment.
The 2024 slate of Hollywood Indies will be showcased at Encore’s booth, where the team will be happy to present other latest additions to the content catalogue or discuss how a partnership with Encore can help businesses achieve their business goals.
Encore Inflight Limited will be at booth 1537 during the 2023 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO.
Euronews
Euronews is a leading international news media in Europe, resulting in a unique European identity and multilingual model in 17 languages (12 language editions and five branded affiliates). Impartial and independent, Euronews delivers a diversity of viewpoints.
Available on digital platforms and television in more than 400 million homes across 160 countries, Euronews’ mission is to give a voice to Europe. Euronews is recognised by half of all Europeans and reaches more than 290 million monthly users on connected devices.
Alongside the news, Euronews offers globally distributed programmes covering business, culture, travel, technology, science, climate and lifestyle.
Euronews offers a wide range of inflight entertainment (IFE) content portfolios, including channels, daily news digests, video on demand (VOD), articles and podcasts to increase passenger journey satisfaction and experience onboard.
Euronews will be at booth 1607.
ICM Hub
ICM Hub is going to exhibit its new onboard digital assistant solution, which assists passengers throughout their flight via AI-powered chat. ICM Hub’s inflight conversational AI will accompany the passenger from take-off to landing with two-way communications via their personal electronic device (PED).
In-flight customer interaction comes with inefficiencies caused by the limited capacity of cabin staff, the cumbersome user interface (UI) of seatback screens and a one-way communication with the ‘call attendee button’. After COVID-19, airlines are redefining onboard safety protocols and looking for contactless onboard solutions.
Capabilities of ICM Hub include immediate assistance at a quicker rate than any other digital assistant on the market. “Can I view a map?”, “When do we land?”, “Can I have a meal?” and “Can I have a blanket?” count among the questions to which passengers will receive instant answers.
ICM Hub will be at booth 1549.
Panasonic Avionics
In-flight entertainment has long been defined by watching movies in the sky. As industry dynamics evolve and passengers’ tastes change, Panasonic Avionics envisions a world where the seatback screen becomes an extension of their relationship with the airline and in which airlines can dynamically use IFE to create marketplaces, exclusive advertising opportunities, and unforgettable brand moments.
Those personalised experiences will stay with passengers from one flight to the next. This is a world where data helps define success metrics around engagement and loyalty, not simply movies watched or shows streamed. Considering web and mobile endpoints, IFE is the airlines’ most valuable digital channel and Panasonic is committed to redefining the passenger experience and reimagining the ownership experience to deliver engagement beyond entertainment.
Panasonic Avionics will be at booth 819 during the 2023 APEX Expo.
Spafax One
Spafax unveiled Spafax One at AIX in June and will be showcasing it at APEX in Long Beach, California.
Spafax says: “Spafax One marks a significant stride forward in the ever-evolving landscape of inflight entertainment. More than a digital suite of products and services, it’s a thoughtful answer to the complexities of content curation and delivery onboard.”
Spafax One enables live-streamed events and on-demand TV and also redefines a multitude of IFEC experiences. It centres on three cornerstones: a dynamic Experience engine ensuring seamless onboard moments, data-powered Curation that personalises unique content for every traveller and revolutionary content Delivery methods setting new benchmarks in efficiency.
It’s part of a broader narrative about Spafax’s culture of innovation and the company’s vision for the future of the onboard journey, which the company looks forward to sharing at the APEX.
Spafax will be at booth 1317.
Stellar Entertainment
Inflight entertainment can make or break a passenger’s inflight experience. Stellar Entertainment offers airlines the most flexible content choices available, so their passengers have access to a wide-ranging yet tailored entertainment mix at a budget that works for airlines.
Stellar is not merely a supplier but a partner to clients for the long haul. As the world’s longest-running inflight entertainment company, Stellar Entertainment has serviced the airline industry since 1974. It has long-established relationships with over 1,000 content owners around the globe. That allows airlines to access millions of hours of movies, television, music, games, books and magazines.
Stellar has offices, labs and technical facilities in Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong and Los Angeles, allowing it to provide local expertise while offering global connectivity and round-the-clock support.
Drop by the Stellar Entertainment booth for a demo of PixL, the company’s one-stop digital media platform.
Stellar Entertainment will be at booth 1317 during the expo at Long Beach Convention Center.
ThinKom Solutions
ThinKom continues to push the next generation of antennas into production as demand for inflight connectivity increases around the world and across aircraft types.
ThinKom’s Ka2517 Plus solution, which debuted at AIX in Hamburg, will enable multi-orbit, multi-frequency and multi-beam connectivity. Bill Milroy, Chairman and CTO of ThinKom Solutions, notes the “network-agnostic solution furthers our mission of delivering connectivity from every orbit to every seat.” The hybrid Plus platform will feature a small LEO-only electronically steered antenna (ESA) as well as the flight-proven variable inclination continuous transverse stub (VICTS) solution.
Progress has been confirmed on the company’s efforts to reach a production rate of 50 Ka1717 units per month by early 2024.
The Ka1717 regional jet solution will also be featured at the 2023 APEX/IFSA Global EXPO.
ThinKom will be at booth 911.
Viasat
Viasat will be publishing its annual Passenger Experience Survey results at APEX. With over 10,000 respondents worldwide, the survey serves as an important industry gauge of the evolving expectations and attitudes of today’s passengers when it comes to inflight connectivity (IFC) and the onboard experience, critical to ensuring airlines remain competitive.
In May, Viasat acquired Inmarsat and will demonstrate how the greater scale of the combined company will enhance its ability to provide the most powerful and compelling IFC services. They are already onboard more than 3,100 aircraft and operated by over 60 airlines worldwide.
“We’re also excited to share how the combined business will bring forth a new era of global satellite connectivity, enabling our aviation customers and partners to benefit from the unique fusion of teams, technologies, and resources. Together, we’re committed to helping our airline customers unlock the true potential of the digital aircraft and bringing intelligent connectivity to every aspect of the aviation industry,” said a Viasat spokesperson.
Viasat will be at booth 1209.
APEX/IFSA Global EXPO
Check the full list of exhibitors and the APEX Expo floorplan on the APEX website, where you can also see the 2023 Global Expo schedule. You can also read more about the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in issue 95 of Onboard Hospitality magazine.
